Hormones are beginning to rage,
resulting in an amazing symphony of calls and melodies by the competing males. But the bird ladies also get to enjoy impressive, dramatic and sometimes hilarious visual displays, like here from Redwinged Blackbird and Grackle.
The end of July is a bit
like early Halloween in the bird world - the molting process makes many of them look a bit scary. They are using the warm weather to lose old feathers and grow new ones. Some, like Grackles, Cardinals and Blue Jays, may lose their parts or the entire collection of feathers on their heads. It is a great opportunity to see what a bird’s ear looks like. And just like last year, there is a Grack that reminds me of Maynard James Keenan 😆
I think it is safe to say
that the Grackles have babies now. I love this time of the year, because I get to see what crawls and lives in my backyard by the stuff the birds bring on their shopping trips for the young ones. I also saw a young Starling today.
Lookie here!
I feel like I have heard Grackles for a bit now but I was never sure. But this beauty visited today. I am still not calling an early spring, just happy to have some that pass through on their journey… Have a great Tuesday!
Common Grackles
are seemingly not everybody’s favorite due to their big appetite and sometimes overwhelming presence. I personally find them fascinating and love watching their interactions and behavior. And as with basically all animals, the young ones are particularly fun to watch. Some of the adults are still molting heavily while others are as shiny and gorgeous as in spring.
Much like the human world,
the bird world is full of drama and posing. Somehow, though, it is much more enjoyable to look at. Of course I am injecting a bit of anthropomorphism into this, I sometimes can’t help myself. It has been hot and humid with the occasional thunderstorm, and the birds that came to the feeders puffed up to stay cool (in both senses of the word, look at that Grack!) or get dry.
(Red-winged Blackbird, Blue Jay, MoDo, female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Grackle)
Grackle appreciation post
I have been so busy with work this week that I did not have a lot of time to process photos. But I have a selection ready and will post that in the morning. For now, please enjoy these goofy beauties and sleep tight.
(PS - the Grack in number 6 shows it’s nictitating membrane, a third kind of eyelid.)
It rained cats and dogs today,
and overall it was a weird day. I saw two Orioles, and heard them singing all day, which was awesome. They have a very distinctive song. You might have heard it on the livestream too. I was also distracted by the Bluebird babies. Two were left in the box this morning, I took time to watch, nothing happened. Then I did some gardening towards the evening, and of course during that, one of them fledged. Now I was in position to watch the other one with my big lens… And nothing. That baby is spending the night in the box. But while I was watching, I saw a Hummingbird :D (Pictured wet mops: Blue Jay, Cardi lady, Oriole, Grackle) With this new set of birds, I am changing up my setups a bit, and things still have to settle in. It always is a bit like a game to capture all the new arrivals, and this is one of the most enjoyable times of the year for me.
Starry Sky Grack
has also returned. I love seeing the speckles on his neck. There is even a second one with a different pattern this year. As far as I know this is some form of mild leucism and not harmful.
I like the Gracks,
and I cannot lie… And since nothing else is really happening here bird-wise, you’re getting another load of these glorious and majestic birds. Come good into Wednesday!
Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds
are still arriving or maybe even just passing through, but there are more each day, and the air is filled with their trills and snarls and calls. It is funny how certain sounds get you into a certain mood, and the songs and calls of these birds definitely have that effect. They are harbingers of spring.
This weather
is great because it gives a variety of different lights and moods. This Grack came in a somewhat foggy morning with snow, but later on, the sun came out.
March is kind of the most boring time
of the year, especially bird-wise, but we have new visitors! The first harbingers of spring are here, and it is a reason to celebate. Today, the first Grack and Red-winged Blackbird found the photo cams, and the male Red-bellied Woodpecker was back!
Video: Look who it is!
After seeing the Red-winged Blackbird the other day, I was hoping to see Grackles soon too, and I am so happy they have returned. It was quite frosty this morning with -7 °C but we are unstoppably marching towards spring. Happy March and have a wonderful Tuesday!
We are far away from the lunch box,
but there is now wrapping paper available in the Ostdrossel Zazzle store. You can choose between Count Grackula and the King of the Yard. They come in different sizes and styles. The store can be found here: zazzle.com/store/Ostdrossel, but I linked the photos below to the shop pages as well.
(Promo code BESTZAZGIFTS apparently takes 20 % off at the moment.)
A Moltey Crue
The Grackles are starting to grow their feathers back (and one youngster is getting adult feathers), resulting in all shades of a dark rainbow.
We got a good amount of rain
the other day, so here are some birds with rain drop jewelry.
(Common Grackle, Blue Jay, Mourning Dove)
These guys are not the same species,
but they look like kindred spirits and I loved the color combo. Teenage Gracks have the coolest colors going on.
Family portrait time
for the Grackles. As you can see, no one was able to stay still, but at least these photos capture the Grack spirit perfectly, and I loved how the baby was mimicking the parent.
